Feb 01, 2024

Every February, the United States honors and celebrates the wealthy, cultural heritage of African Americans, together with their triumphs and adversities which can be integral to our nation’s historical past and success. To pay tribute to those that got here earlier than me and domesticate a greater future for my three daughters, I share a few of my journey to advance vitamin safety and well being fairness by public service and spotlight methods I hope every of you’ll be able to be a part of me in these efforts.

My late father Ernest C. Jackson, Sr. served because the director of neighborhood empowerment for the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Change. As a toddler, I benefitted from the achievements of the Civil Rights period. I attended college in Buckhead, an prosperous neighborhood, house to the governor’s mansion. Every college day, I obtained on the bus in my modest Adamsville neighborhood the place there weren’t many eating places serving wholesome meals, destined for a picturesque neighborhood that includes ample meals choices. Though Adamsville didn’t have posh eating places, we had one another. My mom ensured our meals have been wealthy with greens from our backyard, the close by grocery store, or Mr. Bell’s neighborhood produce truck. I used to be so fortunate to develop up in a neighborhood the place neighbors and mates seemed out for and cared for each other. As I defined on this nutrition security video, on the time I didn’t really perceive how variations in entry to wholesome retail meals shops affected our high quality of well being – actually, our high quality of life.

Now, with vitamin safety as my focus, I’m honored to proceed my dad and mom and neighbors’ legacy by working to make sure everybody on this nation has constant and equitable entry to wholesome, protected, and inexpensive meals. In my function at USDA, it’s such a pleasure to recollect my roots and blossom in my skill to have interaction folks from all demographics and life phases. So please be a part of me in partnership to advance food and nutrition security. Everyone can placed on their imaginary backpacks and “get on the bus” so we are able to collectively be sure that no youngster ever wonders why their neighborhood lacks wholesome meals decisions. USDA’s suite of 16 federal vitamin help packages already reaches 1 in 4 Americans. And together with your assist, we are able to attain much more and forestall ZIP codes from defining life expectancy. We have the collective energy to make sure everybody on this nation is about as much as thrive.